Weather Forecast

June 28, 2011: River Falls man dies in shooting incident

A 24-year-old man has been shot and killed in his apartment late Monday night, June 27. River Falls Police Chief Roger Leque said a suspect has been arrested and that there's "no threat to the River Falls community related to this incident." The shooting occurred in an apartment building at 1473 Riverside Drive which is near the shopping center that includes ShopKo.

Officers responded just before 11 p.m. Monday. In apartment No. 202 they found a man with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Attempts by officers and River Falls Ambulance paramedics to revive him were unsuccessful.

The victim is identified as Joshua Ronald Kurer of that address.

Anthony P. Velure, 26, 1460 Cemetery Road #203, was arrested and taken to St. Croix County Jail. Velure was booked there for negligent handling of a firearm. Formal charges are pending with the district attorney.

Police Sgt. Jon Aubart says a somewhat unusual "multi-caliber revolver," believed to be the shooting weapon, was recovered in the apartment. The gun didn't belong to Velure.

Aubart said Velure was the one who called 911 to alert authorities about the shooting. The victim was not conscious when officers arrived within minutes.

Two other tenants live with Kurer in the apartment.

Aubart said it appears there was some sort of playing around with the revolver and that there was drinking by those in the apartment. Both the alleged shooter and the victim were acquaintances.

UW-River Falls police assisted in the shooting investigation. The St. Croix County Medical Examiner and the Ramsey County (Minnesota) Medical Examiner are also involved in the investigation.